Brianna Brown Gushes About Her “Devious Maids” Co-Stars and Her Women’s Goal Group

Brianne is the Online Managing Editor for Viva Glam Magazine. She loves to interview musicians, actors, and comedians. She also plays four instruments, loves hip-hop dance, and is an avid softball player.

Now that the #DeviousArmy is a few weeks into season three, it’s time to share our interview with the wonderful Brianna Brown, who plays trophy wife Taylor Stappord on “Devious Maids.” But don’t let her character fool you. With a few years on “General Hospital,” stints on multiple popular shows, and the CEO and founder of women’s group/charitable organization The New Hollywood, she is an incredibly hard-working woman.

Read more to find out about how she feels about the amazing #DeviousArmy, her love for her cast members, and how to get involved with The New Hollywood.

Q&A with Brianna Brown

Your character, Taylor Stappord, is back in season three as a series regular. What can we expect from your character this season?

We can expect secrets, lies, love triangles and Taylor having a very difficult time keeping the pieces together.

As “Devious Maids” is on the Lifetime network, do you think the show can get away with having juicer plot lines that it would if it were on network television?

Since Lifetime is a cable network, it allows more freedom for the writers to play and push the envelope. Marc Cherry has a knack of creating complicated, flawed women who are also incredibly funny. I think Lifetime’s audience is a perfect fit for his series post “Desperate Housewives.”

The #DeviousArmy is really passionate. What are some of the coolest or craziest social media interactions you’ve had with fans?

I feel like our fan base is really supportive and excited to be on this crazy adventure with us. I have yet to have any crazy social media interactions with our #DeviousArmy fans but I have no doubt that I may get some upset from them with what will be happening later in the season!

You have a wonderful cast including Ana Ortiz, Dania Ramirez, Roselyn Sanchez, Susan Lucci, and Gilles Marini, to name a few. What do you enjoy most about working with this cast?

First of all, our cast is phenomenal. They are all so talented, hilarious, and fun to work with on set. Ana Ortiz and I are like two-year-olds when we get on set together: always laughing and singing and goofing around together between takes. Dania and I have really bonded this year and she is such a deep, compassionate, amazing woman who has overcome so many obstacles. Definitely check out her video. Roselyn Sanchez is a hoot and such a pro. Susan Lucci is so kind and lovely to work with. Tom Irwin and I knew each other before we started shooting “Devious Maids” together so it’s always fun when we all hang out after we wrap. Rebecca Wisocky is tremendously talented, intelligent, and is nothing like her character on the show. Judy Reyes is such a rock, hilarious and doing phenomenal things to help our youth. I literally could go on and on. I guess what I am saying is that I’m impressed by how all of the cast not only knock it out of the park on screen, but they are doing it off screen by making a difference and helping others.

Just a few years ago, you were a series regular on “General Hospital.” How were you cast for the role of Lisa Niles and what did you enjoy about working on a soap opera?

When I was 19, I was up for a soap and I ended up turning it down because of some silly/limited belief around being respected as a “real actor.” Literally a decade later, craving a more stable job that filmed in Los Angeles, I decided to open up that possibility again. Two months later, my representation had a meeting for me with “General Hospital” to play Dr. Lisa Niles. It was a straight meeting and offer based off my resume and role on “Criminal Minds.” At the meeting, I was so excited to get to play a fatal attraction storyline and to be a villain. My only hesitation then was how I was going to memorize all of the material! Once I got the swing of how soaps shoot, because it’s different than other mediums of film and TV, I fell in love working on that show. Everyone was such a professional and I had an incredible time working with Brandon Barash, Scott Reeves, Kimberly McCullough, Jason Thompson, and everyone else I had the luxury to play with on that show. Had I known how I would have grown so much as an actress and person by working on a soap, I never would have hesitated.

You founded a women’s goal group/charitable organization called The New Hollywood almost 10 years ago. What inspired this decision? Tell us more about the organization and what we can do to contribute.

When I first landed in Los Angeles, I felt very lost and needed a sense of community. Auditioning for film and TV and working sporadically on set, while working various day jobs, didn’t provide the stability and tribe that theater and school did for me in Minnesota. I remember deciding to facilitate groups of “The Artist’s Way,” a book by Julia Cameron, with my friends and managers clients. Having that experience under my belt of leading groups, as well as running drug-education groups in high school, I decided to form an all women’s goal group with the ladies I met in my life who were like-minded. If it wasn’t for my dear friend Juliana Dever inspiring me to do so, The New Hollywood would not exist. What originally began as a goal group for a bunch of friends quickly expanded to creating a movement of women, mainly in the entertainment industry, who also wanted to be of value. We focus on goal setting, support, continued education and giving back. We have produced various events and shows to help other organizations from environmental [causes] to human trafficking. We are actively embodying women who support one another. Unfortunately, in Hollywood that is not the norm. Our intention is to inspire everyone to “Rise Higher, Shine Brighter and Give Back!” In 2016, we are expanding to create an LGBT branch and will continue to form additional groups. My dream is that this format that I’ve created will be utilized not just in the artistic community but anywhere that it is needed. To be involved, feel free to join our online community by signing our pledge page.